12 BEST WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY DURING PREGNANCY
Eat healthy foods
Healthy eating is especially important for pregnant women. Your baby needs nutrients to be healthy and strong in the womb. Eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables, foods high in calcium, whole grains, and foods low in saturated fat.
STAY HYDRATED
The body of a pregnant woman needs more water than before the pregnancy. Try to drink eight or more cups a day.
Take a prenatal vitamin every day
Taking a daily prenatal multivitamin can help you get the right amount of the essential nutrients that you and your baby need during pregnancy. These include folic acid, iron, and calcium.
GO TO YOUR EXAMINATION
Women should receive regular prenatal care from a healthcare provider. Mothers who do not receive regular prenatal care are much more likely to have a low-birth-weight baby or other complications. If possible, consider group prenatal care.
AVOID CERTAIN FOODS
There are certain foods that women should avoid during pregnancy. Do not eat:
• Raw or rare meat
• sushi, Liver, eggs (also in mayonnaise)
• soft cheese
• Unpasteurized milk
Raw, unpasteurized animal products can cause food poisoning. Some fish can be harmful to a growing baby even when cooked because they contain a lot of mercury.
DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL
Do not drink alcohol before or during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of having a child with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD can cause abnormal facial features, severe learning disabilities, and behavioral problems.
Alcohol can affect a baby’s health in early pregnancy, even before a woman knows she is pregnant. Therefore, women who could become pregnant should also not drink alcohol.
DO NOT SMOKE
Smoking is not healthy for you or your fetus. It increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), preterm labor, miscarriage, and other unfavorable outcomes.
DAILY EXERCISE
Daily exercise or other activities can help you stay healthy during pregnancy. Check with your doctor about how much physical activity is right for you.
GET A FLU VACCINE
The flu can make a pregnant woman very sick and increase her baby’s risk of complications. The flu vaccine can protect you against serious illnesses and protect your baby even after birth. Ask your doctor for a flu vaccine.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Getting enough sleep (7 to 9 hours) is important to you and your baby. Try to sleep on your left side to improve blood circulation.
REDUCE STRESS
Reducing stress is important to improve the outcome of childbirth. Pregnant women should avoid stressful situations as much as possible. Ask those close to you to help you manage the stress in your life.
PLAN THE RIGHT TIME FOR PREGNANCY
“Choosing to get pregnant when you know you are healthier will increase your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and delivery,”This not only means that women should make sure they are healthy before conceiving, but they should also consider their age before conceiving.
Mothers who have children at an early age (before age 16) or at the end of life (over 40) have a higher risk of preterm birth. Women who get pregnant again too soon (less than 18 months between births) are even more likely to have premature babies.
BEST WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY DURING PREGNANCY
